Treading Shallow Waters
by Cricketsong
Summary: A half Clan apprentice becomes StarClans secret as she rises to the top, becoming everyones favourite. But sinister Clans are showing hostility and the shecat wants to find out who her real mother is. But with a Clan on the verge of death...
1. Prologue  Surprise Visitor

The rain was coming down so rapidly it looked like long transparent streaks of light, the drain was growling and hissing as the water poured down. The allies were wet, puddles flowing with water as it splashed up around the paws of several ally cats looking for shelter in the New York ally way the lived in.

A dark gray tom with a white muzzle leaped to the top of a closed dumpster, yowling for the others to crowd around before speaking, "Shade is having her kittens, they'll freeze if we don't get them warmth and shelter." The tom hollered, flicking his tail toward the black she-cat who was lying under an empty box with a small kit suckling. "There's no hope for them here, Smokey!" A dark brown tabby she-cat yowled, glancing at Shades helpless kit. "Yeah, they need to be taken somewhere they'll survive and be healthy!" A black and white tom growled over the loud rain. Before anyone else could speak lightning cracked the sky, a huge white claw reached down, grabbing tree before it fell to the ground. The cats shuttered, their eyes huge with terror. "We must flee!" A smoky gray tom, almost black hissed. "No Shadow, don't be a coward!" Smokey hissed, leaping down from the dumpster to stand in front of the ally cats.

"If you keep them here they'll die in weather like this. Is that what you want, to take the lives of helpless kits?" The black and white tom yowled.

"Of course not, Oscar."

"It seems like it," A scrawny pale ginger she-cat hissed from the back of the group, her piercing blue eyes meeting Smokey's firmly. "What is it with all of you, tonight? I can't believe you guys, especially _you _Shadow. You're always by my side, and Oscar you've never let me down… except for now!" Smokey growled. "We don't want to hear your sap story." The pale ginger she-cat rasped, her fur soaked as she shivered, pelting for shelter beneath the dumpster. "Rusty, come back." Smokey meowed, sighing. "I'll help find food, Smokey! Central park is full of mice, every alley cat knows that." A tortoiseshell and white she-cat meowed. "Thank you so much, Patches. But one cat is not enough!"

"I'll help. It shouldn't be hard to find a blanket or something in a dumpster." Oscar meowed timidly. "Whatever I can do to help, I'll do." Shadow grumbled. "Rusty, what about you?" Smokey meowed. The pale she-cat crept out from beneath the dumpster.

"I suppose."

Suddenly lightning cracked the sky again, shuttering the cats looked up to see a dark gray tom bounding toward them. As he got closer they could see he held many scars, one was raked across his face in the shape of an 'x' and another across his flank where hair would never grow again. His eyes were cold, as he stared at each of them. His lean muscles tensed under his pelt, rippling and ready for battle. "Those kits aren't alley cats." He hissed, drawing back his bottom lip in a snarl as he brushed past each of them. "They're Clan cats, they're born to fight, hunt and _kill_!" He snarled.

Rusty ducked, creeping back under the dumpster and peering out at the massive tom as he gazed at them, his claws scraping on the hard ash fault. "LagoonClan can give them a real home. What kind of future do you think they have in an alley, I bet you only want them so you have more cats to defend your alleys?" The tom rasped. "Get out of our alley!" Smokey growled, pushing his way through the cats to meet the toms piercing gaze. "Make me." The tom snorted. "I fathered these kits, and I take on responsibility for them, it's my decision if I want to put them in a safe environment in let them live in fear everyday!"

"Who are you, your language sounds funny to us?" Oscar hissed through gritted teeth. "Stonepelt, long time deputy of LagoonClan." The tom replied, his neck fur bristling. "Stonepelt, is that you?" Shade purred, yowling for the tom.

Stonepelt turned to see the she-cat lying restlessly in the cardboard box. "My kits were born in twoleg rubbish?"

Smokey growled deep in his throat. "Enough of this, go now or we all attack!"

"No please don't, Smokey. I love Stonepelt, he's a true warrior." Shade purred helplessly. "Then if he's such a warrior he'll go back to where he came from. _Real _warriors aren't traitors, they don't run away and have kits with rogues!" Smokey taunted, snarling. "How would you know anything about the warrior code, you aren't a half a warrior." Stonepelt retorted. "You're a mouse-brained excuse for a cat."

Smokey's fur bristled, as he bunched his muscles. "I used to be a warrior, I know what it's like living in a war zone! I ran away to find help, and I found them, on the verge of death! I can't leave them and let them go back to see through pelts and every bone showing."

"You were a warrior? I find that hard to believe." Stonepelt laughed with amusement. "My name was Smokestar, I was leader of JungleClan!"

Stonepelt gritted his teeth, "Smokestar, you were the one who murdered Lizardstripe, and she was from your own Clan. I've heard of you, you're just like Tigerstar." He hissed. "Is that story what you've been telling them? You came here so you can rule the whole alley, eh?"

"No, my story is true." Smokey rasped. "Now leave, before I have to kill you." The gray tom leaned in closer before whispering so only he could hare. "too, you can die just like Lizardstripe did. And once again I'll listen to your blood gurgling as you choke and die!"

Stonepelt pulled away from him before leaping on the tomcat. The cats watched the two go at it, a screeching ball of fur.

It wasn't long before Shadow pulled the two apart, growling at both of them to stop. "Mouse brains."

"Just give me the kits, at least one of them." Stonepelt's sides heaved as he padded toward Shade. "Fine, you can have one, but Shade gets to decide what on it is." Smokey hissed.

Shade looked confused. "I, I love them all. I can't give just one up!" She meowed, rasping her tongue over each of their heads. "I guess I'll give up the first one that was born."

The she-cat flicked her tail toward the silvery she-kit. "But it's too early to take her away from the mother."

"Exactly, Stonepelt." Smokey retorted, twitching his whiskers with satisfaction. "Then I'll stay here until it's four moons old. By then it'll be able to at least eat on it's own, walk and see!" Stonepelt meowed. "I suppose that's okay. And it'll be nice having you around, too." Shade purred, nuzzling Stonepelts side.


	2. Chapter 1 Treading Shallow Waters

Splashpaw bounded out of the apprentices' den, tail and head high as she swiftly pelted across the smooth red sand in the LagoonClan camp. Her bright silver pelt standing out against the red sand, her muscles tensed with excitement, her heart was beating rapidly in her ears as she caught site of her mentor Claypelt! The big dark brown tom was picking through the fresh-kill pile, bouncing curiously toward him before bowling him over playfully. "My ceremony, is it today? Is it, is it, is it?"

"Calm down, Splashpaw! I've told you numerous times and again, it will be at least four more moons until you're a warrior!" Claypelt purred, sitting up to shake his pelt free of the red sand. "Oh, can't you put in a good word for me and tell Clamstar I'm ready?" She purred excitedly, clawing at the sand. "I mean I'm more than ready, I'm so ready I could eat a shark!"

The dark brown tom flicked his tail with irritation; she could sense the sorrow in his eyes as he looked at her again. Meeting her gaze firmly before looking away and whispering so quietly she barely caught what he said, "My sister was attacked by a shark… before you were born."

Splashpaw pinned her ears back, pulling away from the toms' shafts of sorrow hitting her like a badgers blow. Gulping down the horror, she turned to walk toward a shaded place beneath a weeping willow tree. Her paws dragging across the ground before she suddenly dropped beneath the tree with a _'humph'_! _"Poor, Claypelt." _She thought, gazing at the forlorn tom as he picked up a hermit crab and carried it toward a small den made of seaweed, vines and other things found by the lagoon.

Splashpaw crept toward her mentor the following day, her tail low to the ground as she skidded across the sandy floor waiting to strike. Pressing her belly to the ground, she peered between two reeds watching Claypelt bask in the sunshine.

Suddenly she felt her stomach lurch, growling for food. Being in a hunters crouch reminded her of hunting for prey!

She watched as her mentor lifted his head slightly, opening his eyes to see her sitting there embarrassed. "Hunting me, eh?" The tom purred, standing up before stretching his limbs. "Didn't I teach you never to hunt on an empty stomach?"

"Er… probably!" She meowed, bounding past the tom. "Anyways, teach me some fighting techniques, I should be working on them more often now that JungleClan has been showing such hostility!"

"I suppose you're right, I just don't feel like fighting today! Why don't you go explore the territory, go find some trouble." Claypelt purred, lazily dragging toward her. "But what will Clamstar think of me if I purposely go looking for trouble?" Splashpaw meowed confused. "I'll make up something to cover you up!" Claypelt replied, stretching his jaws wide in yawn.

"Um, I think I'll just go hunting." She meowed bluntly before bounding off.


	3. Chapter 2 Sinister Clans

**OKAY SPLASHPAW DOESN'T KNOW SHE'S HALF ALLEY CAT YET. ONLY CLOUDSTAR, SNOWBELLY, SHELLWHISKER AND OTHER SENIOR ALLIES OF CLOUDSTAR KNOW THIS.**

**P.S. THE CATS AREN'T MEAN TO SPLASHOAW AT FIRST, BUT SOON TAUNT HER LATER ON IN THE STORY. **

Splashpaw bounced after her leader as they headed toward the Moonpool. Her heart was racing with anticipation as she started her journey.

Joining her friend, Featherpaw, as the four cats padded along the shore of the lake. "I wonder if StarClan will accept me?" Featherpaw meowed, trotting after her mentor, Berrypool. "I'm just glad I have another apprentice to go on the journey with. Being along would be so boring!" Splashpaw purred.

The sun was setting by the time they had left the camp, but the warm sun heating her back was wearing down to be washed away by a cool wind, blowing in from the BreezeClan moors. But thankfully Splashpaw was getting her Leafbare coat now that leaf-fall was fading out.

"I hope we get there soon, my paws are starting to ache!" Featherpaw meowed after they had walked across the slippery rocks along the Glass-stone border of the lake. Splashpaw knew they were close now, Glass-stone was just several fox lengths away from the JungleClan camp. And the Moonpool was just off the border of their territory.

"Well this should be fun. We're so close I can taste that icy water!" She heard Berrypool meow as they crept along the border separating BreezeClan from JungleClan. "Ew, what is that stench?" Featherpaw spat, wrinkling her nose. "Smells like BreezeClan and… JungleClan mixed together!" Shellwhisker hissed. "They must be planning an attack, and soon!" Cloudstar rasped, drinking in the mixture of scents. "Wait, I overheard a JungleClan apprentice talking with Falconpaw from BreezeClan, they smelled of both clans mixed together. They were asked me when I was going to the Moonpool and who was going with me." Featherpaw meowed. "They must be planning to attack the camp today!"

Cloudstar was looking worried, his neck fur bristling. "Berrypool and Featherpaw your fur won't stand out as much as mine and Shellwhisker's, you go a sniff around. If you see any cat tell them you're on your way to the Moonpool for Featherpaws ceremony. No cat should question a medicine cat." Cloudstar hissed. "I want you to find out what they're up to, but don't be seen."

The two she-cats nodded before climbing under a mossy tree in the rain forest like territory of JungleClan. "Wait, what if they get attacked, they're fighting isn't as good as mine, I should go with them." Splashpaw suggested.

"Alright go, Shellwhisker and I will be at the edge of the territory."

Splashpaw kept close beside Featherpaw and Berrypool, their scents mingling together.

As they got closer to the JungleClan camp they could smell the stronger scent of BreezeClan. She clawed her way up a twisted rain forest tree, climbing out its branch after Berrypool to see the camp.

She could see both of the Clans leaders, Hawkstar, BreezeClans leader was sitting beside his deputy Seasonheart while JungleClans leader; Snakestar was overlooking the two Clans.

"Lizardthroat!" Snakestar yowled, the ginger tomcat padded up to the leader.

"Yes, Snakestar?"

"You will lead the attacking patrol," Snakestar meowed, his dark tortoiseshell fur bristling as he glared at the warrior. "Leopardtooth, Mossbelly and Kauristail."

Hawkstar padded up to stand beside the other leader before addressing the Clans. "From BreezeClan, Robbinwing, Kestrelflight, Falconpaw and Raincloud!"

The chosen cats came forward to gather, she noticed that the four chosen cats from the separate Clans scattered into their own groups instead of being one big group. "Looks like the cats don't like their leaders choice of Clan members." She whispered to Featherpaw. The she-cat nodded before peering between her and Berrypool again.

"Hey, wait I smell LagoonClan!" A scrawny gray tom hissed, his ribs showing as he opened his mouth to drink in their scent. Suddenly fear flared up inside her. "We have to get out of here quick." Berrypool hissed, climbing down the tropical tree. Splashpaw slid down behind her, pelting after the black she-cat.

"You're right Smokeheart!" She could hear Mossbelly's yowl behind them.

Before she knew she could hear loud pawsteps behind her, trampling the ground as they furiously fled. "Cloudstar said they'd be at the edge of the territory!" She yowled, as she took the lead in front of the other two.


End file.
